Committee on Disability & Employment Meeting

July 19, 2017: 9:00 AM
Frances Perkins Room, 45 Commerce Drive Augusta

State Workforce Board COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT July 19, 2017 9:00 AM ? 12:00 PM Central Maine Commerce Center 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta Frances Perkins Room Call in: 877-455-0244, Conference code: 9218175360 AGENDA 9:00 Welcome, Review/approve May?s meeting?s minutes 9:15 SWB / WIOA Update ? Garret (or?) 9:45 Universal Access Committee update ? Peaches, Josh, Jenn 10:15 Break 10:30 Review of Statewide Efforts related to Employment of PWD - Employment First Maine recommendations - SILC Employment Subcommittee - CDE Recommendations 11:30 Other Business 12:00 Adjourn REMINDER: Empowerment Forum for People with Disabilities August 17 in Auburn! FMI and to register: www.caresinc.org/forum No cost to individuals with disabilities Next Meeting: September 20, 2017 9:00 ? 12:00 Central Maine Commerce Center Frances Perkins Room SCHEDULED VISITOR: Senator Amy Volk, LCRED Committee Chair


COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT MEETING MINUTES

07/19/2017

Present: Jennifer Kimble (Chair), Don Rice, Jeanie Coltart, Gayla Dwyer, Karen Fraser, Mel Clarrage, Peaches Bass

Staff: Garret Oswald, Joshua Howe, Cheryl Moran

Welcome, Review/approve May?s meeting?s minutes Jennifer Kimble opened the meeting with welcomes and introductions and asked for approval of the 05/24/17 meeting minutes. Don Rice motioned. Gayla Dwyer seconded. Minutes approved as written.

SWB/WIOA Update ? Garret (or?) Garret Oswald ? (Implementation strategy of the State Plan) Garret reported that Josh is working on the Matrix. The Matrix is a 160 page plan that contains 161 separate elements. Each element states started, in process, complete, or not started. This is how we are tracking. It is user friendly and works well to keep people informed. The spreadsheet has links that connects back to the language in the State Plan. Overall, we are moving along nicely. Garret stated Josh can share this information by forwarding an email of the spreadsheet to members. Don Rice asked Garret if he has heard anything regarding the proposed cuts for WIOA (39%) in the federal budget. Garret stated he heard yesterday that the 9 billion dollar cuts have been reduced to 5 billion. He does not know the exact cuts but the WIOA money is now available to the states. The deadline for the federal budget is October 1st which is the start of their new fiscal year. The Senior Community Service Employment Program?s (SCSEP) funding has been reduced from 400 million dollars to 300 million. Vermont Associates for Training and Development (known as A4TD and is a Vermont based company) is the new recipient of the SCSEP program.
Garret concluded his report by providing an update on the status of the Gig Economy platform. The Gig Economy platform was developed in the U. K. by Wingham Rowan, Director, Beyond Jobs. The Gig Economy is a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. This platform is to provide appropriate worker protection for people who work sporadic hours (?irregular work?) and collect appropriate taxes. This program will provide the opportunity to specify their work hours which will release stress from not knowing where the next ?Gig? will come from. This program also allows them to go on and plan (connect with various jobs), specify their work hours, and the ability to set parameters. Garret feels it is custom-made for Maine (older workers, People with Disabilities (PWD), and the hospitality industry). The Gig Economy definitely has implications however; this platform has the ability to alleviate this problem. Bottom line, this platform presents a tremendous opportunity in Maine. In October, this platform will be presented to the full Hotel & Innkeepers Board to buy-in (hopefully this will relieve pressure to this particular industry) and in the spring planning to launch. Wingham is working with the Wal-Mart foundation to bring the U.K. platform and Americanize it. The Casey Foundation is funding Wingham and Garret stated he will make sure all members are emailed the link to the report.

Universal Access Committee update ? Peaches, Josh, Jenn Jennifer Kimble ? The Universal Access Committee have held meetings (1 per month) for the past 6 months. Peaches Bass provided 2 (DRAFT) copies of the policies Programmatic and Physical Access and Equal Opportunity and NonDiscrimination. The committee is formally led by Eric Dibner, Disability Coordinator Rehabilitation Services. Also participating, Hook Wheeler, Director of Workforce & Business Services EMDC, Kelley Heath, State Adult Ed Director DOE, Michaela Loisel, EEO Coordinator DAFS and Ann Twombly, HR Director DAFS. The first real draft consists of 4 different programs and what they are required to do. Accessibility is tied together in 2 different policy drafts. She stated they will decide if it should be one policy or separate. She pointed out that ?nondiscrimination? is not limited to disability but to make sure we do not discriminate. Comments have been incorporated ? almost complete. She also pointed out that the definitions are statutory and the wording comes right out of statute or federal policy. Peaches stated that Ginny Carroll believes WIOA is the primary source for these policies. Jeanie Coltart stated that she would like to include people that do not speak English. Peaches asked does this committee want to look at the One-Stop CareerCenter Certification Policy when finished. She stated that she will run this by Ginny. Committee members requested to see the policy on the one-stop certification. Peaches stated she will email the links. We will need to provide proper guidelines to staff and will also need training. Joshua Howe stated training is some of the first steps ? which are part of the implementation of the State Plan.

Review of Statewide Efforts related to Employment of PWD - Employment First Maine recommendations - SILC Employment Subcommittee - CDE Recommendations Jennifer Kimble opened the conversation by asking what the State has done in the past 11 years. She then strongly stated that we need a different strategy because we are in the same place.
Peaches Bass stated WIOA has provided us with an incentive to do a better job with PWD. Garret Oswald stated Governors come and go. Maybe we should focus on the Legislature. This might be a better strategic approach because statute does not change but can be amended.
Mel Clarrage stated work has shifted a bit but policies remain the same. Joshua Howe ? How do you legislate some of these pieces? Mel Clarrage ? How do you legislate operations? Jennifer Kimble stated this is why we want to have a discussion with Senator Volk so we can have a conversation on how to strategize. Jeanie Coltart strongly stated that she wants new appointees to be qualified in important positions so they can make a difference. Peaches Bass ? Paying for accommodations is what we need to figure out because this has always been an issue. Mel Clarrage ? Potential appointees; when we have a conversation with Senator Volk ask about getting questions to the candidates and getting them on public record because access to the Governor is just not there. Peaches Bass - What is the best way to advocate for these kinds of recommendations is what we should ask Senator Volk. Joshua Howe ? How do we address fear/cost? We need to do a better job serving PWD. Mel Clarrage asked Peaches (in reference to the policy on universal access) can some of the language be put in statute? Peaches Bass responded most of the language in the draft policy reiterates what already is in statute. Too bad there could not be a watch dog group. Jennifer Kimble stated with the 26 recommendations, who are going to monitor and who owns it? This always seems to be the case. Peaches Bass stated this is about social change ? takes a very long time. This needs to be handled statutorily, contractually, and socially. We have made some progress but still have a way to go! Don Rice stated that we need Senator Volk?s help to make sure the State of Maine becomes a model employer. Karen Fraser reported that L.D. 1361 ? An Act Regarding State Hiring and Retention for Persons with Disabilities passed in June. Karen stated she will forward the link to members. Due to time constraints, Jennifer was not able to cover the handouts on the SILC Employment Subcommittee and CDE Recommendations. She asked members to look over.

Other Business Jennifer Kimble mentioned the Empowerment Forum for People with Disabilities will be held on August 17 in Auburn as a reminder.

Meeting adjourned

Next meeting will be held on September 20, 2017 from 9am ? Noon in the Frances Perkins Room, CMCC Augusta. Next agenda: ? SCHEDULED VISITOR: Senator Amy Volk, LCRED Committee Chair
? Will reach out to D. R. M. ? Finalize a few questions around disability

Respectfully submitted by Cheryl Moran


Attachments